I am deeply distressed: Rahul Dravid

Expressing shock and disappointment after the recent spot-fixing incident involving three Rajasthan players, skipper Rahul Dravid said in a statement to the media that it has been a very tough day for him and his team.Three players - S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila - were arrested by the Delhi police for indulging in spot-fixing in three Indian T20 League games this year.

"I am shocked by the arrests but spot-fixing is very dangerous for the game of cricket. This has been a tough day for me and the team and I am deeply distressed," Dravid said in a statement.

"We as a team have a zero-tolerance view of the situation. The Rajasthan management have made their zero-tolerance policy clear at every possible moment. I am sure they will support every action taken. Rajasthan is like a special team and has always operated like a family," he said.

While mentioning that his players were devastated, Dravid said his job as a captain is to ensure that the team continues to play as well as they have so far in the tournament."For me as a captain and a leader, I have to focus on ensuring that the team fulfil their enormous potential and continue to play the Rajasthan way. Our players are devastated that our performances may have been affected, as they had the desire to win, and this has been evident throughout the tournament."

Dravid wanted the fans to support the team in the time of adversity. "I hope that our fans get behind us even more, and that we become stronger as a unit - which often happens in times of adversity."

Paddy Upton, coach of the Rajasthan team, resonated Rahul Dravid while mentioning that the spot-fixing evil should be rooted out."As Rahul says, the Rajasthan environment is a special one, where we focus on teamship, focus on the cricket, identify new players and promote young players to the front line. We challenge inexperience to compete with the most experienced - and that approach has risks," he said.

"Today has seen an unfurling of events that have left us all shocked and disappointed, and we will support the franchise, the BCCI and the authorities in taking necessary actions to root out an evil that plagues our game. However, we will not let the team lose its focus on completing what has been a magnificent tournament.

"We cannot let 'bad eggs' ruin the game that we all love, affect the values that Rajasthan holds dear, and destroy an environment that we have worked hard to take to a new level," he concluded.

BCCI treasurer and secretary of HCA, Aniruddh Chaudhary, made it clear that his state association would not make any plea to the board to revoke the ban on Ajit Chandila in relation to the IPL spot-fixing controversy.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur reiterated that there was no way back for Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila because the BCCI would not lift the penalties imposed on them in relation to the IPL spot-fixing controversy.